Renew Your WorshipPosted by Rachel on September 2nd, 2006
I finished the book. It’s really fantastic. It’s written with discussion questions at the end of each chapter which makes it ideal for a book study group at church. It would be particularly helpful for a worship committee or a group of people planting a church. I really liked his suggestions on getting the congregation involved in the sermon. He explained how the sermon has become clericalized, mostly due to the fact that as the Church in history grew, the individual churches were getting bigger and that wasn’t conducive to the type of sermon that allows feedback from the congregation or lay members adding their own thoughts. He still had great ideas on how to get larger congregations to feel more involved in the sermon (discussion time after the service, before the service, or even throughout the week before the sermon). I’ve always liked an atmosphere during the sermon that allows for congregants to add thoughts, as long as it’s done appropriately, with brevity, and all in good order. At least it keeps the people on their toes and encourages them to listen in.
I thought some of his best insights had to do with the worship music, which is something that so many churches need so much help with – especially smaller churches that seem to have shrunk not only in number but in enthusiasm. There’s really just nothing triumphant about worship if the people aren’t involving their entire selves to the worship and adoration of God in song.
I absolutely love liturgy, but I hate how some people misuse it by just reciting the same old words & singing the same old settings and being completely emotionally disconnected. Renew Your Worship would be a great book for open-minded congregants that feel that there is something missing in the spirit of their Sunday worship.
